Bangladesh prime minister says tried to ensure free election

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina casts her vote in the morning during the general election in Dhaka, Bangladesh, December 30, 2018. Bangladesh Sangbad Sangstha/Handout via REUTERS

DHAKA (Reuters) - Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina said on Monday her government tried to ensure a free and general election and the opposition lost because it lacked leadership.

Hasina has won a third straight term in the Sunday general election, sealing a landslide with almost all the seats in parliament, while the opposition rejected the result as rigged and called for a fresh vote.